How was it with weight cutting in the past?

The point is that guys who came of age in day before era were fighting guys who build their careers in same day era during the late 80s/early 90s and the size difference wasn’t all that much.

Toney’s last couple of fights at 168 is a separate issue.

 

It’s the athletic commissions problem.

NY lost a lawsuit for tens of millions over a fight (Perez v Russian guy, forget his name).

 

If Toney had fought in the era of same-day weigh-ins, he'd have likely been a one-division champion.

He weighed in the 200s as a football player. He started training camp in the 200s when he was a "super middleweight" and was fighting in the 180s when he got in the ring. He likely never entered the ring and actually fought weighing less than 160. Even with time to rehydrate, so he was well over the limit, he was cramping and barely able to walk against Dave Tiberi.

With a same-day weigh-in, Toney certainly never even competes for a middleweight title. And likely not for a super middleweight belt.

And since he never even challenged for a light heavyweight title, his only championship would've been Cruiserweight. Which MAKES SENSE, because he started camp at 200 and when he was trim at super middle he actually weighed in the 180s.

And 180s to 200 is a cruiserweight. And he won a belt there. LIKE BASICALLY ALL but a handful of CHAMPS from the past did who won titles ... they won titles in the ONE division where they fought at their best weight.

That's what everyone did. What's your best weight? That's your division. Go get them.

But, instead of winning ONE title, he won titles in THREE divisions ... because he could rehydrate 15 or 20 pounds after the weigh-in.

See how that warps history?

I don't know why you brought up Toney. He's basically the poster boy for cheating (through weight bullying & steroids) for that era.

He was like EXHIBIT A of what started to go VERY wrong in that era.

 

I think he still would’ve fought at 168, but might’ve skipped 160. He’s not the only guy.

 

No its not. Rehydration clauses are put in by the fighters, not the commission.

 

It still is the athletic commission’s problem, at least in the US. That’s who get sued when someone gets hurt.

 

Like you said, it's on them.

 

So what happens when there’s a late substitute? Who pays for all the testing (and how long does it take for lab results to get back)? I’m just curious because while this may be no big deal at the PPV/championship level it’s another hurdle for club shows that have been dying anyway (if passed by all commissions).

 

But those were contractually agreed upon weight differences. Most of the smaller guys probably thought that LaMotta looked so easy to hit that the weight wouldn't matter.

 

Yeah but it’s coercive — if that’s the fight the guy can get and it pays more than any other offers then he probably is inclined to take it (presuming he likes food on his table and a roof over his head). The problem is you don’t see Jake’s side offering or accepting a lot of fights against true middleweights, much less being the smaller guy fighting light heavyweights (even though that’s technically what he is).

He is still 100% the OG of weight bullies.

 

The other guy wanted the money and he took the offer. Nobody coerced Fritzie Zivic; he took the fights believing that he would win. And he did, once, and all the others, except the last one, were very close.
Maybe it was LaMotta looking for money fights? Like Terry Norris offering to fight Whitaker at 147.
LaMotta didn't get fights against the top middle weights, money wise. A fight with Graziano would have sold out everywhere, or Zale. Everyone was trying to make as much as they could and everyone had managers that were trying to make money.